Hiking is a great activity for seniors! I’m 72 and really enjoy it. Several of my fellow hikers are in their upper 70’s and are still going strong. One, at 83, still hikes five miles on the beach several times a week.
Some people hike mainly for exercise and walk vigorously hoping to work up a good sweat. Others prefer a more leisurely pace and stop often to take pictures, enjoying their commune with nature. While you can see much from your car as you drive along the highways, you can only see the finer details of nature while walking. And there are many sights not available from your car, such as hidden waterfalls, moss covered trees, and the colorful hills in the center of Haleakala Crater.
You can choose from a wide variety of hikes ranging from easy to difficult. On the easy end of the scale are simple beach walks or strolls along scenic country roads. My favorite Maui hike, moderately strenuous, is the Pipiwai Trail within Haleakala National Park. It has a wonderful stretch of bamboo forest with three-inch thick stalks, 50 feet high. The 11 mile Haleakala Crater hike may be difficult, but well worth the effort. Scenery within the crater is wonderful and truly otherworldly. While 20-somethings may do this hike in four hours, I myself plan on at least eight hours.
There are several books that list hikes in Hawai‘i, but it is even better to find local groups to hike with that can provide guidance and companionship.
You can join meetup.com on the internet to find hiking groups in your area. Sierra Club, www.sierraclubhawaii.com/groups.php, leads hikes on all four main islands. Contact the hike leader to make sure the hike is right for you.
Never hike alone on isolated trails; if you slip and injure yourself, you could be in serious trouble. Wear proper shoes and clothing, hat and sunscreen. Bring a snack and lots of water. While cell phones won’t work in some areas, they can help you out of trouble in others.
Join the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) this summer to do all of those things by signing up for our 2015 Summer Reading Programs. It’s not only for kids, we have a reading program for everyone including Adults (18 years and older), Teens (middle through high school) as well as Children (pre-Kindergarten through 6th Grade). Simply visit your local public library and register beginning May 31. By popular demand, this summer our reading programs will all run for seven weeks beginning May 3 –July 18.
This summer of library fun is provided free of charge, courtesy of the Friends of the Library of Hawaii and other generous community partners who support and encourage reading and learning at our Hawaii public libraries on O‘ahu and all neighbor islands.
“Dennis Carson Makoto Taira was indeed BBG’s golf hero. Since 1999 BBG sister Susie Taira’s husband Dennis brought in foursomes of his Phi Kappa Pi brothers — often over 10 teams — to support BBG. The success that we have enjoyed these 15 years would not have been possible without Dennis and those many golfers. What a tribute to Dennis this year — to have 180 golfers and so many BBG sisters attend our 16th annual golf tournament. We feel his spirit with us, we miss him dearly and still mourn his very premature passing on May 11. We will remain forever grateful to Dennis.”
Laxatives can help relieve constipation. Overuse of certain laxatives can lead to dependency and decreased bowel function. In general bulkforming laxatives, also referred to as fiber supplements, are the gentlest on the body and safest to use long term. However, seniors must remember to drink adequate amounts of water when taking fiber supplements like Metamucil.
It takes creativity to stretch our dollars, save steps and get our chores done efficiently so we have time for family and community FUN!